Santam appoints experienced executive as head of India insurance business

Santam, South Africa's largest short-term insurer, has appointed experienced insurance executive Hemant Gulati as Country Head and, subject to regulatory approval, as Principal Officer, of its India based operation at the Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City).

Gulati is a well-known and respected insurance professional within the Indian insurance industry. He joins Santam from UNISON Insurance Broking Services, where he was Senior Executive Vice President & Business Head - Reinsurance (GIFT City).

He began his career in claims and loss adjusting with Mumbai-based Puri Crawford Surveyors & Loss Adjusters, gaining early exposure to large industrial and engineering losses - laying a strong foundation in risk assessment, claims management, and loss evaluation. He went on to expand his capabilities across risk engineering, underwriting advisory, and corporate client servicing, developing a well-rounded perspective on managing complex risk for large businesses.

Gulati has nearly 20 years of experience in insurance and global reinsurance. He possesses a Bachelors' degree in Electronics and Telecom Engineering from the Vidyavardhini College of Engineering. In his new role, he will lead Santam's GIFT City operations, with a focus on strengthening our specialty insurance and reinsurance platform, deepening global partnerships, and driving sustainable, long-term growth.

The GIFT City is India's first operational greenfield smart city and International Financial Services Centre. Santam was granted a licence to establish a branch office at the GIFT City at the beginning of 2026. The office allows Santam to rapidly build upon its' existing foothold in the Indian market, drive international expansion and broaden its international treaty and facultative reinsurance footprint.

Gareth Beaver, CEO: Santam Specialist Solutions, said Gulati is an experienced professional, with understanding of the Indian and international markets.

"Hemant brings close to two decades of experience across insurance and reinsurance, with deep expertise in building reinsurance portfolios, structuring complex risk transfer solutions, and driving strategic growth across domestic and international markets," he said.

"He has led facultative and treaty operations, built reinsurance capacity arrangements, and expanded business relationships across more than 30 countries - demonstrating a strong track record of building and scaling international reinsurance platforms. We are excited at his appointment and look forward to his leadership in growing our India business," added Beaver.

Gulati has welcomed his appointment and looks forward to contributing his experience to Santam's international treaty and facultative reinsurance capabilities.

"I am excited to join Santam Ltd as Principal Officer & Country Head - India at GIFT City. India is a dynamic and fast-growing market, and I look forward to building strong partnerships, driving growth, and contributing to Santam's journey in the region. Proud to start this exciting new chapter as a Santammer", said Gulati.